Standing in His Grace

“It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
…You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.”     –Galatians 5:1,4
Surely, I can’t be the only one.  Tell us all when [...]

On Trying to Explain a Living Thing

I can tell that, to some people, I’m terribly offensive now. I didn’t used to be that way (at least I don’t think). I was in the same trenches they were in. We were on the same side. When my paradigm came crashing in, I suppose it’s fair to say that [...]

Hephzibah House in Indiana: Abuse Still Going On, Over 30 Years Later

It’s hard to try to explain the daily schedule at Hephzibah House.  Daily life was about so much more than just school and chores.  Each day was like a journey; you never knew which way the wind was going to blow.  It might be your lucky day, and the staff ladies would all be in [...]

Coming out of Fundamentalism (A Reader Writes)

I enjoy getting emails from readers sharing their thoughts on coming out of legalism and/or fundamentalism, most of which I tend to keep private (and most of which take me at least a week or more to reply to, depending on how busy I am).  This letter was really good, and the writer, who blogs regularly at Living [...]

Formula Over Relationship: RED FLAG #1

After the “unsafeness” of the whacko church of my young-adult-met-Jesus days (that is, my Bible College, where I learned so much and yet also learned that the leader was getting cozy with some of the female staff, but with a doctrine of authority similar to the Shepherding Movement’s, we were taught it was more important to the Lord that we not [...]

Easter Sunday: Shoot, Even the BAD Christians Go to Church!

I guess that means we’re worse than bad?  But it was still really nice staying home.  We sang some songs, in a casual way, talked a little bit, in a casual way, and ate a lot of candy eggs, in a casual way.  (It’s hard not to be casual when you have a two year old [...]

Reforming Behaviour Through Law

 Can we reform behaviour through a system of reward and punishment?  Can I spank my children into cheerfulness, for example, as some parenting philosophies assert?  Can we solve the problem of teen pregnancy by promoting abstinence and showing slides of STD’s?  If the possibility of getting caught stealing is certain of punishment of jail time, will that [...]

The Fundie-Hood, the Tongue-Talker-Hood, the Emergent-Hood (Baa)…

I should have clarified in my recent post that I believe that there are a GREAT variety of ghettos, and that within Christendom as well as every other area touched by humans. I believe that because I’m a full believer in the “sheepness” of humanity (and loved Mein Kampf for that reason: the guy was a SICKO, [...]

I Am The Great Leader: Obeyeth Me!

 One of the wonderful commenters here (and usually dissenting, which is partly what makes her so wonderful) mentioned that I seem to be reactionary.   How ever could she think that, I sarcastically laugh, as I read her words nodding and grinning.  I often wonder where I’ll be in five years—in my head, that is, not [...]

Building up Hearts

…It is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace…
excerpt from Hebrews 13:9